You’ve gotten quotes. You’ve narrowed it down to one or two contractors. The proposal is sitting in front of you and the sales rep is waiting for an answer. Before you sign anything, slow down — because the difference between a great roofing project and the kind of horror story your neighbors warn you about almost always comes down to what you find out before the contract is signed, not after.
The good news: it doesn’t take an expert to spot a problem contractor. It just takes five direct questions. Ask them all, listen carefully to the answers, and you’ll know everything you need to know about whether you should hire a roofing contractor or keep shopping.
1. Are You Licensed, Insured, and Bonded — and Can I See Proof Today?
This is the floor. If a contractor can’t answer “yes” to all three and produce documentation on the spot, end the conversation. You’re not being rude — you’re protecting yourself from a six-figure liability exposure.
Three specific things to verify before you sign:
- State or local roofing license — check the license number against your state’s contractor lookup. Many states publish complaint history right next to the license.
- General liability insurance — a current Certificate of Insurance (COI) with at least $1 million in coverage. Ask for the insurer to email it to you directly, not just a PDF the contractor hands over.
- Workers’ compensation — if a crew member falls off your roof and the contractor doesn’t carry workers’ comp, you can be sued personally for their injuries.
A legitimate contractor expects this question. They’ll have a COI on file and can have it sent to you within the hour. If you’re hearing “we’ll get that over to you soon,” consider it a no.
2. Who Will Actually Be on My Roof — Your Crew or a Subcontractor?
This is one of the most important questions in residential and commercial roofing — and the one most homeowners don’t think to ask. A lot of roofing companies operate as middlemen: they handle sales and project management, but the actual work is done by subcontracted day-labor crews the owner has never met.
That’s not automatically bad. Some great roofers use trusted subcontractor crews they’ve worked with for years. But it changes the equation in important ways. Ask:
- Are the people doing the work W-2 employees of your company, or 1099 subs?
- How long has the lead foreman on my project been with you?
- If something goes wrong mid-install, who has the authority to make decisions on-site?
The answers should be specific and confident. Vague responses (“we have a bunch of crews we use”) usually mean the company has no idea who is going to show up at your address on install day.
3. What Warranties Will I Get — From the Manufacturer AND From You?
You should always get two separate warranties on a new roof: one from the manufacturer covering the materials, and one from the contractor covering the installation. Both need to be in writing, attached to the contract, and signed by both parties.
For each one, find out:
- Duration: 10 years? 20? Lifetime? Lifetime warranties on workmanship are common but only matter if the company will be around to honor them.
- What’s covered: Just material? Material plus labor? Tear-off and disposal? “System” warranties from manufacturers like GAF, CertainTeed, or Carlisle are dramatically broader than the standard manufacturer warranty — but require a certified installer.
- What voids it: Other contractors walking on the roof, certain types of repairs, missed inspections, non-approved accessories. Ask for the exclusions in writing.
- Transferability: If you sell the building, does the warranty transfer to the new owner?
If a contractor pushes back on putting warranty terms in writing, that’s all the information you need.
4. What’s the Payment Schedule, and What Happens If Something Goes Wrong Mid-Project?
The payment schedule tells you almost everything about whether a contractor is financially stable.
A reasonable payment schedule for most residential or small commercial projects looks something like this:
- 10–30% deposit at contract signing (used to order materials)
- 40–50% progress payment when materials are delivered or work has substantially begun
- Final balance due only after the project is fully complete, the property is cleaned up, the punch list is signed off, and you’ve inspected the work
Be very cautious of any contractor who wants 50% or more upfront, or who insists on full payment before the final inspection. Those terms usually signal a cash-flow problem — and if the company goes under mid-project, your money goes with it.
Also ask the harder question: what happens if there’s a problem mid-project? Damaged decking discovered after tear-off, a weather delay, a crew that doesn’t show up. A professional contractor has clear answers — change order procedures in writing, daily communication expectations, named project manager contact info. If the answer is hand-wavy, expect hand-wavy execution.
5. How Will You Protect My Property and Leave the Job Site When You’re Done?
Tear-off day is messy. Old shingles, nails, underlayment scraps, dust, debris — it all has to go somewhere, and the difference between a contractor who plans for that and one who doesn’t will show up on your landscaping, your gutters, and (worst case) your tires.
Specific things to confirm:
- Property protection: Will tarps cover landscaping and AC units? Will plywood protect siding? Will a dumpster be staged in a way that doesn’t crack your driveway?
- Nail and debris cleanup: A professional crew runs a magnetic nail sweeper across the entire perimeter twice — at the end of each work day and again at job completion. Skip this and you’ll find roofing nails in your yard for the next two years.
- Disposal: Tear-off debris should go to a permitted disposal facility, not the back of a truck headed who-knows-where. Reputable contractors include disposal fees in the quote and can show you the dump receipts after.
- Final walk-through: A clear punch list and a final walk-through with you (or your facility manager) before payment.
3 Red Flags That Should End the Conversation
Beyond the five questions, a few specific tactics should make you walk away no matter how good the price looks:
- “This price is only good if you sign today.” Real contractors will honor a written quote for at least 14–30 days. High-pressure closing tactics are a tell.
- Door-to-door storm chasers without local ties. After every major storm, out-of-state crews swarm in, collect deposits, do quick low-quality work (or none at all), and disappear. If a contractor showed up unannounced after a hailstorm and has no local office, no online history, and no permanent phone number, do not sign.
- No physical address. A roofing company with only a P.O. box, a cell phone, and a Gmail address is not a company you want $30,000 sitting with.
Ready to Get a Real Estimate?
If you’ve asked these five questions and you’re still in the market, we’d love the chance to earn your business. American Commercial Roofing has been installing, repairing, and replacing residential and commercial roofs across Kansas, Missouri, and Metro Atlanta for more than three decades. We’re licensed, insured, bonded, and we’re happy to put every answer in writing — because that’s exactly how we’d want a contractor to treat us.
Every estimate includes a no-pressure walkthrough of the proposal, a clear scope of work, and full warranty terms. Qualifying installations are also backed by our $25,000 guarantee.
📞 Call us at (800) 674-9535 for a free, no-obligation estimate.
Prefer to book online? Pick a time that works for you and we’ll come to you.